Connector for HCL Commerce Manual / Version 2107
Table Of ContentsThere are two types of systems come with HCL Commerce 9.1, the new React-based store with elasticsearch-based search and a legacy JSP-based store with solr-based search.
Note
The customization for a legacy JSP-based store with solr-based search in HCL Commerce 9.1 is still compatible with the customization for HCL Commerce 9.0 (see also Chapter 4, Customizing HCL Commerce 9.0). The workspace archive for version 9.0 can also be used for this legacy variant of version 9.1. Please note that this integration scenario requires a project-approval and is not supported by default.
The current support for HCL Commerce version 9.1 only applies to the headless scenario. The React-based storefront of the HCL Commerce 9.1 requires the CMS content to be provided via the Headless Server. There is consequently no need for a CAE application that delivers fragments to a storefront. Only in CoreMedia Studio the catalog tree from the HCL Commerce catalog is visible and Studio can be used to define additional content or navigation for your commerce system and to augment category and product pages.
Since the delivering of CMS content is done via the Headless Server Studio can show a JSON Preview for each page in the Emerald example site. That JSON can be taken as an example to build a frontend accordingly. (see also Figure 10.5, “Product in tab with JSON preview (HCL Commerce 9.1)” and Figure 10.8, “Category in tab preview (HCL Commerce 9.1)”).
The connection of Headless Server and CoreMedia Studio to a HCL Commerce 9.1 system uses the Commerce Hub and thus the Commerce Adapter. The configuration consists of two parts:
Configuration of the Commerce Adapter to connect to a HCL Commerce 9.1 system is using the same commerce adapter basic configuration with an additional property
livecontext.ibm.wcs.search.profile.prefix(see also Section 7.1, “Configuring the Commerce Adapter”) but note, there are some properties that are not used for a headless integration. All properties that are needed to build links will be ignored because links are built in the frontend in the headless scenario.Settings configuration in Studio references the Commerce Adapter endpoint, which Studio and Headless Server use to communicate via the Commerce Adapter with the HCL Commerce 9.1 (see also Section 7.2, “Shop Configuration in Content Settings”).
Note
For the headless scenario either with elasticsearch-based search or with solr-based search, there is no customization needed on the HCL Commerce side. Only standard REST handlers will be called and no search profile adjustment is required. There is no active code deployed to the HCL Commerce to fetch content. This needs to be done in the headless storefront client. For more information please refer to the Headless Server manual.
Note
The commerce-adapter-wcs supports HCL Commerce 9.1 since version 1.4.0.
